The most instructive part of On A Wing And A Prayer was NHS executive Deborah Lee’s political extremism. In declaring herself not “precious about how healthcare is delivered”, she promulgates the pro-private sector “what matters is what works” mantra of the Blair years.
Enrico Tortolano
Hove
If deputy chief executive Deborah Lee is unsure about “which is the party of the NHS”, let me explain: the Conservatives, who opposed its introduction in 1948, remain fundamentally and ideologically opposed to the very notion of it.
W White
Leeds
Nathan Filer’s piece was thought-provoking, but the coverline, 30 Days On The NHS Frontline, was misleading. There was little mention of those providing around 90% of NHS frontline interactions: the GPs, practice nurses, receptionists, pharmacists and therapists, who so frequently see patients first. We trained alongside our hospital colleagues and our single aim should be to provide excellent patient care.
Dr Charlotte Jenner
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Nathan Filer says the doctors he met were the children of professionals and privately educated. Sadly, that’s only going to get worse. At £9,000 a year for five years (which now has to be paid upfront), I could never have afforded to train for the NHS career that I now feel privileged to have.
Lucy Reynolds
Finchley
How do these people find all these twin (or triplet or higher-multiple) souls? It’s hard enough to find one soulmate. Such relationships may well be about more than sex, but they’re a whole lot less than I need or want commitment to be.
Caroline Sweetman
Oxford
That Amanda Holden is so humble, isn’t she? “We are very lucky and have a house in London and in the country.” The word Amanda is looking for is rich.
Iain Barbour
Edinburgh
What the Mensa member’s really thinking shows what happens when a child is told an exam has revealed them to be special. Everyone treats them differently, and they adopt behaviours that reinforce their specialness. Sadly, it defines them. Despite their intelligence, the Mensa member nevers twigs that IQ is a pseudoscience with a dodgy history of faked research findings.
Stephen Newton
Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester
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